Remodeled shoe last



Nov. 1, 1938. H. CLAUSlNG 2,135,173

REMODELED SHOE LAST Filed March 27, 1936 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

INVENTQR. H enr Clausm ATTORNEY.

Nov. 1, 1938. H C A 2,135,173

REMODELED SHOE LAST Filed Mart :h 27, 1936. 2 Sheets-Street 2 INVENTOR. Henry Clousmg BY A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED- STATES REMODELED SHOE LAST Henry Clausing, Portsmouth, Ohio, assignorto Vulcan Corporation, Portsmouth, Ohio Application March 27, 1936, Serial No. 71,157

3 Claims;

My invention relates to a remodeled shoe last,

and the method of preparing same.

The first object of the invention is to prevent the waste occasioned by discarding lasts which have become obsolete for various reasons, for instance, changes in style or the reduction in serviceability due to breakage or injury to the fore part thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide 10.;;an efficient and low cost meansfor renewing the toe portion of the fore part of the last.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint or union between the new toe portion and the remaining portion of the last which is of llirmaximum strength and rigidity.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rapid and low cost method of preparing and assembling the union between the new and the old portions of the last.

7 Other objects and features will more fully appear from the following descriptionin connection with the accompanyingdrawings and will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates the renewal of the toe portion of the last to be remodeled in such a manner that a transverse face is .formed at the junction of the new and old portions preferably adjacent the plane of the waist of the last. A projection or tenon is also formed upon the transverse faceblock has formed thereon, simultaneously with: the formation of the mortise, a transverse face to accurately abut the transverse face on the last. 4.5 the toe block also has a rearward extension which overlies and accurately fits a face on the last at the time of the removal of the comb por To adequately present the invention, a particular embodiment thereof is illustrated and will 55...be described. The invention may, however, as-

A toe block is roughly formed, which is to be The rear In the preferred form above mentioned,

sume any formwithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a last prepared in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a toe block before it has been processed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the toe block after it hasbeen processed for assembly upon'the'last. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the last prepared to receive the toe part and indicating the elements employed to hold the last during the preparatory cutting process. Fig. 5 is a view of a last partially in cross-section, illustrating the complete joint in the fore part thereof. Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a modified construction for effecting a union between the toe part and the body of the last.. Fig. '7 isa side elevation of a last to beremodeled, indicating the first out in a modified remodeling method. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the last after the tenon has been formed thereon. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the toe block prepared for assembly upon the processed last of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view of. the assembled-last placedv in the turning lathe. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the remodeled last..

In the following 1 description, the term remodeled last refers to a last'which has been remodeled according. tothe present invention. The amount of service which. the remodeled last is capable of supplying is'directly proportional to the emciency of the union or joint betweenv the new and the old portions of the last. The present invention provides a union of .maximum strength which may be formed and assembled at a minimum of expense. The low cost of the remodeling process is of much importance, since it must be less than the expenditure necessary to purchase new lasts. The present invention meets the requirements as to efficiency and low cost.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the-drawing, 'a block I is roughly cut to shape to serve as the new portion of the last. Such block will betermed hereinafter as the toe. block. The toe block will be of the required dimensions to permit re-turning of the last from the tip of thetoerearwardly to a selected junction point between the toe block and the other portions of the last. The practice of the invention permits retaining the complete heel part and a portion of the rear-most end of the fore part, including the elements of the hinge, in the instance where the last to be remodeled is of the hinge type. In a one piece last, the location of the dividing line between the new part and the h old part is not restricted in any way. The toe block may be proportioned to include all of those portions which it is desired to replace. In a hinged last for purposes of this invention, the part to the rear of the hinge axis will be designated the back part and the remainder the fore part.

The toe block I desirably is prepared to be received upon the old portion of the last by performing one simple and rapid cutting operation thereon. One desirable method of accomplishing this result is by constructing a special cutter having the desired characteristics to accurately shape the rear-most face 3 of the block. It is highly desirable in the practice of the invention that means be provided for renewing the comb portion of the last as well as the forward or toe portion of the fore part. To provide for such construction, the toe block I, when roughly formed, is provided with an extension 2 projecting rearwardly the necessary distance to form the comb of the last during the re-turning operation. The cutter in performing the facing operation of the toe block is provided with an extension of substantially less diameter than the main body of the cutter which may be of conical or cylindrical contour. This extension on the cutter forms a recess 4 extending a substantial distance into the toe block. The cutter is also provided with a portion which forms a face 5 upon the lower edge of the extension 2 of the toe block which is' circular in cross-section and adapted to engage a complementary circular face formed upon the last itself, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The center of ourvature of the surface 5 desirably is in axial alignment with the recess or mortise 4.

The manner in which this cutting operation upon the block I is accomplished is immaterial. The block may be clamped in proper alignment with the cutter and the cutter then forced axially into engagement with the block. If desired, a block may be mounted for rotation in proper alignment with the cutter and forced into engagement with a cutter which is fixed. I

The last to be remodeled may be prepared to receive the toe blockin any suitable manner. One method of preparing the last will be described herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be restricted to any specific method, since the invention resides in the particular structure of the remodeled last, as well as the method employed in remodeling the last. The toe portion of a last to be remodeled is severed by means of a saw out or any other suitable means upon substantially the line XX in Fig. 1. This line indicates roughly, the plane of the bottom of the recess or mortise 4. The last is now placed in the centering fixture. While the last is in the centering fixture, acenter mark 6 is properly located upon the facel. The center mark determines the axis of the projection or tenon 8. The last is then rotated between the centers or a lathe, which may be a last lathe or a lathe of any type. The heel end of the last may be held in any manner, but desirably is held in a remodeling chuck 9, which. has the usual adjustable clamping jaws I0 and I I which position and clamp the heel of the last upon the desired axis of rotation. The other end of the last is supportedi'n any desired manner, such as by means of a toe, dog or dead center i2 engaging the face- I at the center mark 6. I

The last thus clamped is rotated and a cutter is fed into engagement therewith. A cutter having the proper conformation is fed inwardly toward the axis of rotation a measured amount toaccurately form the projection 8 to fit the recess 4, to form the transverse face I3 and simultaneously to remove the upper portion of the comb of the last. The operation of removing the comb forms the surface 14 which is conical in form sloping rearwardly away from the axis of rotation. The surface i4 is also so situated with respect to the axis of rotation that when the toe block is as sembled upon the last, it will accurately fit against the surface 5 on the toe block. It will be noted that the location of the axis of the tenon 8 upon the face I3 must be such that during the cutting operation just described, the out which forms the surface I 4 will not change the shape of the side portions I5 and I 3 of the last. The cutter used to effect this operation, may be rotated' or it may be stationary. An alternative method of thus preparing the last to receive the toe block is to construct a special cutter which is driven at high speed and fed axially into engagement with the face I and fed a suificient distance to properly form the projection or tenon 8, the transverse face I3 and the face I4 at the comb portion of the last. Any other suitable means may be employed to accomplish the required result. It will be understood also that a tenon of rectangular cross-sectional shape may alsobe em ployed, in which case, a complementary mortise would be formed in the toe block to receive the tenon. Preferably, the tenon is slightly shorter in length than the depth of the mortise, thereby avoiding the possibility that the tenon would seat itself in the mortise before the abutting faces l l and I3 engage. The form and disposition of the face I4 may also be varied without departing from the invention.

The last is then removed from between the chuck 9 and center l2, and the prepared block I is cementedin place upon the prepared end of the last with the abutting faces 3 and I3 in engagement and the surfaces 5 and I4 alsoin engagement, while the tenon 8 snugly fits the mortise 3. When the cement is hardened, the last is then returned to the desired new shape. The last thus prepared must now be properly located in' the turning lathe upon a turning axis in axial alignment with the turning axis of the model to be copied. To do this, the last is placed in the centering fixture which has been pro-adjusted in accordance with the model to be copied and a center mark is made in' the usual way in the toe end of the toe block, which thereby locates the correct position. for the toedog'during the returning operation. The last is then removed from the fixture and placed in the last lathe in the position ordinarily occupied by a last block. The model to be copied is then placed in its proper position in a lathe.v The remodeling chuck, which receives the heel end of the last to be remodeled, is then adjusted properly to locate the heel end thereof upon its correct turning axis. The toe chuck is then forced into the toe end, using the center mark located by the centering fixture, as a guide to position the toe end.

The turning operation is then performed, during which the toe block I is shaped to the exact contour of the toe portion of the model. If the centering operation has been properly carried out, the surface of the old portion of the last and the newly finished surface at the lines of junction I1 and I8 therebetween are flush with one another. The last'is then ready to be removed from the latheand given its final finishing. The chucking and turning operation may be accom- The feature of safety of the joint thus formed between the two sections of the fore part of the last is such that no possibility exists of the joint breaking down during anynormal shoe making operation. In addition to the strength due to the mortise and tenon of the joint, the. cemented abutting faces 5 and I4 function to add to the total strength the comb portion l8 of the last.

The method above described for joining the block I to the last may be modified in any manner within the scope of the appended claims. The last may be processed in the manner shown in Fig. 6, wherein the last is cut away only as far back from the toe end as the transverse face l9, none of the comb portion of the last being removed. The projection 8 is, or may be, of the same proportions as that shown in the construction incorporated in the other figures. The block I is processed in the same manner as above described, with the exception that the portion 2 is removed. It is then cemented into position upon the last, after which the turning operation is performed in the usual way. This latter construction may be employed to advantage and at low cost when it is not desired to increase the height or contour of the comb portion of the original last. On-the other hand, the comb of the original last may be reduced in height by the re-turning operation without any special provision other than properly proportioning the model which is being copied.

Another method similar to and employing the same principles as those embodied in the above described methods is shown in the drawings in Figs, 7 to 11 inclusive. This method may be found more desirable and economical than the foregoing methods.

The last 20 to be remodeled is to have its upper comb portion 2| above the dotted line 22 remodeled as well as substantially all of its forward portion beyond the hinge elements. The comb portion 2| is removed by a straight saw out along the line 22, the position of the line of cut de-' pending upon the extent of remodeling desired. This cut may be made either before or after the next operation to be described. This cut produces the flat face 23. The tip of the toe is removed approximately upon the line being careful to leave enough stock to form the tenon portion 24 of the joint.

The last is now placed between lathe centers, desirably in the manner indicated above in connection with the last shown in Fig. 4, and turned down to form the tenon 24 and the face 25, preferably at right angles to the axis of the tenon.

A rough toe block is then prepared as shown in Fig. 9. The faces 26 and 21 of the block are cut by means of saws or cutters with their included angle equal to the angle between the faces 25 and 23 on the last. A recess 28, complementary to the tenon 2A, is then bored or formed in any desired manner in the face 25. The axis of the recess must be spaced accurately the same distance from the intersection of the faces 26 and 2'! as the distance from the intersection of the faces 23 and 25 on the last. The axis must also be disposed at the same angle to the face 26 as the axis of the tenon makes with the face25. By thus properly forming all of the abutting surfaces, they will inter-engage throughout their .toe end of the last.

ing chuck, such, for instance, as thatshown in- The' last is then turned Fig. 4 of the drawings. in the usual manner from a desired model and the toe tip finished, thus producing a last having the appearance of that shown in Fig. 11. Any surplus wood, such as the portion 29 at the comb is removed either before or after the turning operation, I

An important feature of the invention which is apparent from the above description is the fact that the tenons 8 and 24 are formed out of the material of the last and reference to such construction in the appended claims is made by defining the tenons as integral with the. last. By so constructing the rebuilt last, it is possible to remodel the last from the tip of the toe rearward to a plane closely adjacent the hinge element. Such extensive alterations may be done without sacrificing the strength of the assembled last. If it were attempted to insert a strengthening element such as a dowel into the forward. face of the last instead of making an integral projection it would be found in the hinge type of last, that there would be insufficient support for the inner end of the dowel. When the division between the new and old part of the rebuilt last is close to the hinge, the chamber for receiving the hinge element and the hinge pin would prohibit the proper anchoring of a dowel.

It will be clearly understood that the invention in its broadestaspects may be practiced in any manner within the scope of the claims annexed hereto. For example, the last and the toe block may be prepared by the hand method. The tenon or projection may be of any suitable shape. For instance, it may be of true cylindrical form or may have an unsymmetrical or rectangular cross-sectional contour. The proportions of the projection and its location upon the face 53 may be varied within wide limits to adapt the invention to any special requirement.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the remodeled last may not only be given a different style contour, but both heel height and toe spring may also be changed by the'remodeling operation. All that is necessary to make such change is to provide a model having a heel part having the same contour and dimensions as the last being remodeled and a fore part having the desired new heel height and toe spring. In such case, the toe dog spotting fixture will be properly adjusted in accordance with the model and the unturned composite last properly marked with the aid of the fixture. Theturning operation will then result in forming a last having the desired contour in its fore part and the desired new heel height and toe spring.

The practice of the present invention provides 'a highly efiicient and uniform method of renewing, restyling and for the general redesigning of lasts, which otherwise would be discarded.

I claim:

1. In a hinged shoe last'having a two-section fore part including a renewed toe portion extending rearwardly from the toe end thereof to a transverse plane closely adjacent the forward extremity of the hinge mechanism and a mortise and tenon connection between the two sections of the fore part in which the tenon is integral with the last part from which it projects.

2. In a hinged shoe last having a two-section fore part, an integral tenon projecting forwardly from the rearmost section of the fore part, a complementary mortise in the forward section to receive said tenon, and inter-engaging flat faces upon sections disposed perpendicularly to a longitudinal median line through said tenon.

of the fore part, said rearward projection form- 10 ing the comb of the last.

HENRY CLAUSING. 

